Aimee Rogstad Guidera
Published: 1998
Total Pages: 36
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Individuals need the academic knowledge and skills that equip them to succeed in today's economy. Almost 90 percent of new jobs require more than a high school level of literacy and math skills. The knowledge content of work is increasing, education is the key to maintaining a competitive edge, and everyone in society benefits when student achievement in primary and secondary school increases. The Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) compared performance in mathematics and science by a half-million students worldwide at age ranges corresponding roughly to grades 4, 8, and 12, including 33,000 Americans. While U.S. students at the fourth-grade level were near the first in the world in science, and were above the international average in mathematics, by the eighth grade, U.S. performance had fallen to slightly above the international average in science and to below the international average in mathematics. The message of TIMSS is that the U.S. still has a long way to go to ensure that all children achieve at world-class levels.